Kris knelt beside Clyde, the snow biting into his knees, yet his embrace radiated warmth against the chill. Clyde’s face, lined with years of torment, trembled as tears fell freely.
“Kris,” Clyde whispered hoarsely. “I was blind. I let the darkness in. I didn’t see… what she was doing.”
Kris held him tighter, his own voice steady despite the ache in his chest. “It’s over, Clyde. You’re free now.”
But Clyde shook his head, gripping Kris’s arm as though it were the only anchor keeping him afloat. “No, Kris. You don’t understand. You’re in danger. Celina… she betrayed you. She twisted me, fed my hatred, and now—now she’s doing the same to Randall.”
The boys stood frozen, the weight of the words heavy in the air. Kris pulled back, his heart sinking under the revelation. “Celina?” he asked, the name almost a whisper.
Clyde nodded, his face etched with anguish. “She thrives in shadows, Kris. She’s consumed by them, pulling Randall with her. Darkness feeds on lies, hiding its cowardice behind deceit.”
Kris rose slowly, his breath steadying as his resolve hardened. “Then we bring truth into the light. Darkness cowers when faced with truth. That is where our strength lies.”
The boys exchanged glances, their fear giving way to a flicker of hope. “What now, Santa?” one of them asked quietly.
Kris’s gaze turned toward the horizon, his voice calm yet unyielding. “We fight—not with anger, but with light. Truth is our weapon, and it will shine where shadows seek to hide.”
The wind seemed to quiet, the storm briefly holding its breath as Kris stood tall. For in the battle ahead, it wasn’t vengeance that would guide him—it was the unwavering belief that light and truth could pierce even the deepest darkness.
Kris knelt beside Clyde, the snow biting into his knees, yet his embrace radiated warmth against the chill. Clyde’s face, lined with years of torment, trembled as tears fell freely.
“Kris,” Clyde whispered hoarsely. “I was blind. I let the darkness in. I didn’t see… what she was doing.”
Kris held him tighter, his own voice steady despite the ache in his chest. “It’s over, Clyde. You’re free now.”
But Clyde shook his head, gripping Kris’s arm as though it were the only anchor keeping him afloat. “No, Kris. You don’t understand. You’re in danger. Celina… she betrayed you. She twisted me, fed my hatred, and now—now she’s doing the same to Randall.”
The boys stood frozen, the weight of the words heavy in the air. Kris pulled back, his heart sinking under the revelation. “Celina?” he asked, the name almost a whisper.
Clyde nodded, his face etched with anguish. “She thrives in shadows, Kris. She’s consumed by them, pulling Randall with her. Darkness feeds on lies, hiding its cowardice behind deceit.”
Kris rose slowly, his breath steadying as his resolve hardened. “Then we bring truth into the light. Darkness cowers when faced with truth. That is where our strength lies.”
The boys exchanged glances, their fear giving way to a flicker of hope. “What now, Santa?” one of them asked quietly.
Kris’s gaze turned toward the horizon, his voice calm yet unyielding. “We fight—not with anger, but with light. Truth is our weapon, and it will shine where shadows seek to hide.”
The wind seemed to quiet, the storm briefly holding its breath as Kris stood tall. For in the battle ahead, it wasn’t vengeance that would guide him—it was the unwavering belief that light and truth could pierce even the deepest darkness.